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Title:Use of Physical Activity to Improve Behavior of Children with Autism--Two for One Benefits
Author(s):Ron French , Hester Henderson and John O'Connor
Source:Palaestra. 16.3 (Summer 2000): p22.
Document Type:Article
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2000 Sagamore Publishing http://www.palaestra.com/ Physical activity is vital for a healthy lifestyle for children with and without disabilities (Huettig & O'Connor, 1999). Physical activity offers a variety of benefits for individuals with autism. Following moderate aerobic activity, children with autism may experience increases in attention span, on-task behavior, and level of correct responding (Rosenthal-Malek & Mitchell, 1997). A physical activity-based program is easy to implement and has been shown to be effective in controlling many types of inappropriate behaviors associated with autism (Allison, Basile, & MacDonald, 1991; Elliott, Dobbin, Rose, & Soper, 1994).
Children with autism may experience initial difficulties in physical activity programs because of inability to cope with the variety of auditory, visual, and tactile stimuli in wide-open spaces (see Figure 1). This inability to cope may be demonstrated by various behaviors, such as over sensitivity to stimuli (i.e., outbursts, pacing, hand flapping, toe walking); deficits in speech, language, and cognitive capacities; desire to avoid changes in routines; and difficulties transferring lessons from one setting to another. Figure 1. Instructional Guidelines for Exercise Programming. Behaviors Programming Guidelines * Inappropriate behaviors * Teachers may have to overlook (i.e., stereotypical behaviors, behaviors for the sake of pacing, toe walking, hand emphasizing access to the flapping). program. Initially, benefits
Author(s):Ron French , Hester Henderson and John O'Connor
Source:Palaestra. 16.3 (Summer 2000): p22.
Document Type:Article
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2000 Sagamore Publishing http://www.palaestra.com/ Physical activity is vital for a healthy lifestyle for children with and without disabilities (Huettig & O'Connor, 1999). Physical activity offers a variety of benefits for individuals with autism. Following moderate aerobic activity, children with autism may experience increases in attention span, on-task behavior, and level of correct responding (Rosenthal-Malek & Mitchell, 1997). A physical activity-based program is easy to implement and has been shown to be effective in controlling many types of inappropriate behaviors associated with autism (Allison, Basile, & MacDonald, 1991; Elliott, Dobbin, Rose, & Soper, 1994).
Children with autism may experience initial difficulties in physical activity programs because of inability to cope with the variety of auditory, visual, and tactile stimuli in wide-open spaces (see Figure 1). This inability to cope may be demonstrated by various behaviors, such as over sensitivity to stimuli (i.e., outbursts, pacing, hand flapping, toe walking); deficits in speech, language, and cognitive capacities; desire to avoid changes in routines; and difficulties transferring lessons from one setting to another. Figure 1. Instructional Guidelines for Exercise Programming. Behaviors Programming Guidelines * Inappropriate behaviors * Teachers may have to overlook (i.e., stereotypical behaviors, behaviors for the sake of pacing, toe walking, hand emphasizing access to the flapping). program. Initially, benefits